


I'm doing the right thing

by sal101



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-06 12:38:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sal101/pseuds/sal101
Summary: What happens when Bridget left her job at Wentworth after breaking up with Frankie.





	1. Chapter 1

Bridget drove into her drive and turned the ignition off, her head turned to look at the back with all her stuff in the cardboard box, she then looked at the passenger seat with the bottles of wine and cat food. Did I do the right thing? Walking away, I need to compose myself, she thought. Bridget let out a long sigh. At the corner of her eye she saw her noisy neighbour coming home from work, staring at her, probably thinking why the hell has she not got out of her car yet. Bridget gathered the shopping bag from the passenger seat and opened the car door, she nodded at her neighbour, “g’day,” trying to act normal. The neighbour nodded back and watched as Bridget struggled to juggle the shopping, the cardboard box and her laptop bag. Bridget herself trying hard to find her keys and making sure the wine bottles didn’t clank too much. She succeeded in finding her keys and managed to get in without dropping anything. When Bridget was finally behind the door, she threw her keys on the hall side table and threw the box on the kitchen unit, she reached for the wine glass left on the table from last night, It’s only 3 o’clock Bridget thought, “fuck it,” she opened the red and poured the wine up to the top of the glass. Bridget looked inside her box and saw her framed psychology degree, she picked it up and walked around the living room with it, glass of wine in one hand, degree in the other. Years it took me to get this, Bridget thought, was it all worth it? Bridget knew that she shouldn’t have let Frankie get under her skin and into her heart, Frankie has been locked up for nearly two months now and Bridget could still smell her, Bridget even had some of Frankie's cloths still here. Bridget had always been cautious with her clients, but Frankie was something else; that smile, her hair, those perfect eyes and body, always making me laugh, something I’ve always wanted for years and I threw it all away. Bridget looked down at her degree and started to cry. I threw it all away. Her hands were shaking, and Bridget threw her degree across the room making the frame smash into little pieces. I threw it all away. Bridget drank half the glass of the wine and kneeled over and started to weep. Frankie is locked up and I broke her heart, but I had to do this, I needed to leave because I’m not strong enough, I wonder what she is doing now Fucking that Allie, no doubt. Bridget got up and drank the rest of her wine and poured another, she finished the bottle and threw it in the bin probably smashing it, she picked up the shopping bag with the remaining bottles in it and headed to the sofa.

Vera pulled up to Bridget’s house, she wanted to see how Bridget was getting on, so she decided to check in after her night shift, she thought that Bridget would be up at eight o’clock. Vera could see Frankie crying and shouting on camera from her cell. She never approved of Frankie and Bridget, but Bridget is Vera’s friend and the best friend Vera has ever had. Vera got out of her car and as she walked up the garden path, she could hear loud music. At least Vera knew she was up, the music was of a band that Vera has never heard of before. Vera knocked extra loud so Bridget could hear her, no answer, she knocked again, still no answer. Vera then decided to look in the window, treading on Bridget’s garden beds she looked through the window and saw Bridget passed out on the sofa with three bottles of wine around her and for some random reason cat food, “ah, shit,” Vera said. Vera ran around to the back and tried the back door luckily it was unlocked. When Vera entered the smell of booze hit her, Vera turned the kettle on and made Bridget a black coffee and placed it on the coffee table. “Bridget, wake up!” No response, Vera lifted Bridget's head and started to gently slap it, Bridget mumbled and opened one eye, Bridget put her hand over her head, “rough night,” Vera said. Bridget grabbed the remote for the speakers and turned them off, she couldn’t think straight with this hangover. Bridget stared at Vera, at first Bridget panicked, why is she here? Did something happen to Frankie. Vera with her hands behind her back, “Frankie is fine,” Bridget sighed with relief, “but are you?”

“Yeah course,” lie number one

“So, what’s all this,” Vera was staring at the bottles.

“I had some friends over last night and I got a bit carried away,” lie number two, why the fuck am I lying, it’s everything I stand against. “Uh huh,” Vera sat next to Bridget on the sofa, Bridget was in the same clothing as the day before, her hair was a mess and face was tired, “you know it’s fine to say you’re not okay.” Upon hearing this Bridget broke down crying, “I don’t know Vera, I don’t know.” Bridget put her head on Vera shoulder. “What don’t you know?” Bridget dried her eyes, “whether I am coming or going; do I trust Frankie, is Frankie fucking Allie, is Frankie a murderer, Frankie, Frankie, Frankie, that’s all on my mind now.” Bridget leaned in Vera shoulder and started to cry. “Well I can’t say nobody warned you, because we did, but... Honestly Bridge, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Frankie, I really don’t think that Frankie would throw what you guys have away for Allie, plus Allie is grieving.” Bridget lifted her face out of Vera’s shoulder, Vera wiped Bridget's tears off her uniform.

“You think?"

“Yes Bridge, the murder stuff, well, that’s something I can’t help you with, all I can say is from when I first met Frankie to how she is now, well it’s like looking at a different person, that’s something you need to discover for yourself.” Since when Vera defended Frankie, Bridget thought. But she was right, years of training in the psychology field, that’s something that she would say to one of her clients. Bridget leaned back into the sofa, she looked at the floor and saw the mess. Vera picked up a wine bottle, “and this, you know that won’t help, or make this go away.” She was right about that too, Vera put the bottle down on the table, Bridget was eyeing it up as it had enough for one glass. Bridget got off the sofa, she still felt dizzy from the night before and stumbled, Vera caught her. “I’m fine, please,” Bridget walked around the living room and saw the broken frame on the floor, she ignored it and instead went to the kitchen and got a glass of water. Vera looked at her watch, “I have to go, night shift and I’m late for ‘bedtime’,” Vera got up and walked to the door, Bridget still stayed by the sink, “look if you ever need me, please, ring me and maybe have a shower might do you some good.” Vera looked Bridget up and down and exited through the front door, Bridget breathed a sigh of relief, she walked over to the coffee table where the wine is and picked up the bottle.


	2. Just a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget wakes from a dream after a heavy night.

They say the grieving process works in five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. You can grieve over anything, a death, loss of a friendship or relationship, or even moving on from a job you love, it can happen to anyone. Bridget was still at the denial stage, maybe I should call Franky and say I didn't mean, it we can work through this, no, Franky needs to do what she needs to do whether that's clearing her name, being top dog again, or focusing on Allie.

Bridget had a dream about Franky, Franky was pushing her little sister on the swing at the park by the lake, the birds were signing, the lake was glistening. Bridget walked through the park towards Franky, happy to be reunited with her love. But as Bridget got close to them they disappeared, the sky's darkened and it started to rain. The ground turned from bright green grass to grey concrete and the park then turned into a basketball court. Bridget knew where she was. They were at Wentworth, there was a crowd by the corner, Bridget ran over to the corner and saw what she feared, Franky on the floor with a screwdriver in her stomach. Bridget wanted to scream but nothing came out, she saw Ferguson with blood on her hands with that evil smile that she has. Bridget then heard Franky's voice, "that could have been me," Bridget awoke from her nightmare. Sweating and tears in her eyes, she had fallen asleep on the sofa again. Bridget sat up, it was 2am and reached for the wine glass on the coffee table, there was still half a glass, shaking, Bridget's hand managed to find her mouth and she drank that sweet nectar. The wine helped with the shakes and Bridget fell asleep again.

In the morning Bridget knew she needed to put the wheels in motion to find a new job. I need to make a fresh start and a clean slate, forget everything, she thought, though she knew that would never happen. For the first time in 3 days Bridget cleaned up her mess, finally got out of her work cloths that she had on at Wentworth and showered. Bridget was putting her work attire in the washing, when she came across Franky's lucky knickers, Bridget remembered when she wore them, "ya filthy minx." Bridget threw them back in the basket and ignored them. She opened her curtains for the first time in 3 days and was blinded by the sunlight. This was the day, I'm going to get on with my life and look for a new job. Bridget sat down, still hungover she took some paracetamol hoping it will have a quick effect. She opened her laptop and straight away she saw her wallpaper, her and Franky, Bridget slammed the screen down and threw it at the wall, maybe it landed next to her shattered degree, she didn't care. Fucking Franky, Bridget thought, if only she spoke to me, this is her fault for not being honest to me, if she was I wouldn't have left her. Bridget grabbed her handbag and car keys, she was pretty sure she was over the limit but this wasn't her first time. Bridget walked out the door to grab some more wine, she was now in the second stage. Anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed it.


	3. Headlights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget starts to rebuild her life and looks for a new job.

Sat with a glass of wine Bridget was on her phone looking at job sites. Her laptop was pretty much broke, but what came as a job hunt is not looking at photos on her phone of her and Franky. But Bridget remembered her unprofessionalism at Wentworth near the end, especially with Liz, she was also lucky Vera didn't sack her, Vera wasn't stupid, she knew that Vera knew she was drunk that day. In some ways Bridget knew that she Vera, in some way, was her saving grace, if Vera did sack her then Bridget would be black marked and she'd never work in her field again. Here comes the anger again, I nearly lost everything for Franky, everything. But why can't I stop thinking about her, it was like a addiction, a bad one. Franky brought all the bad things out of Bridget, jealously, loss of control and feeling of powerlessness. Bridget always kept cool and calm at work, but when Franky was involved that all goes out of the window. Bridget put her phone down and took a deep breath, this wasn't the time to look at pictures, it was the time to sort her life out and look for another job. She poured another glass of wine. There was nothing out there for her, just as Bridget suspected, this means she needed to make phone calls. Bridget really didn't want to explain to people why she left Wentworth. So she ended up calling Vera, not for her job back though, it was early evening and Bridget took a shot on if she's home.   
"Hello," Bingo.  
"Hey Vera, it's Bridget, you know what we've never gone out." Vera sighed. "I don't think, that's a good idea Bridget." Bridget felt hurt when Vera said that. "Come on Vera, you know you want to." There was a pause. "Maybe at the weekend Bridget."   
"Okay, sounds like a good idea, I'll ring and plan something then." Bridget hung up without saying goodbye. If Vera didn't want to go out then She will on her own. Bridget out on her favourite leather blouse and leather jacket, with high waist trousers and her favourite heels. She sprayed on her perfume and out on a quick lick of makeup, called for a taxi and left her home.


	4. On the town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget goes out on the town to forget Franky

Bridget had no idea why she was here, everything is crap, music is crap, wine is crap, everything is crap. This was meant to be the hottest gay bar in town and it was left to be desired. Bridget rarely went to gay bars even when she was single in her 20s and at university she rarely went to them. Bridget was sat at the bar looking at the dance floor, being impulsive brought her here, another sign of the unmanageably and powerlessness her life has become. Bridget didn't even know why she was here, she'd rather be drinking at home, alone, with her cat. Bridget downed her glass of cheap wine and turned to face the bar, she grabbed the bar lady attention to get another drink, the bar lady was anything special to look at either Bridget thought, giving off the usual rockstar look, band t-shirt and skinny jeans. The bar lady came back with Bridget wine and took Bridget's money, "you better slow down or you're gonna be fucked by the end of the night." Bridget scoffed at her and turned her back to her to look at the dance floor. I will drink as much as I want thanks, Bridget thought.

It was rare for Bridget to make it into her bed these days she's either passed out on the sofa or on the floor somewhere. Bridget stretched her body and saw the horrors of last night, bottle of vodka on the bedside table, since when the fuck did I drink vodka, Bridget thought. She then looked at the floor and she saw cloths on there, some weren't even hers that's when it struck Bridget, she looked beside her and saw the barmaid next to her and naked, Bridget looked under the sheets and she was naked also. "Fuck!" Bridget exclaimed, this was all she needed, did she just cheat on Franky? She was looking at the barmaid sleeping soundly in Bridget's bed. What to do? Bridget thought, it's not just Franky's and Bridget's feelings now there was the women next to her who looked younger than Franky. I'm going to get a reputation as a cradle snatcher at this rate, Bridget thought. The barmid started to stir from here slumber, Bridget froze, she didn't know how to digest the situation. Then her phone rang, it was a unknown number, Bridget answered it any distraction from what is happening, "gidget it's me." Bridget leapt out of bed, her head banging in the process. Franky wanted to see Bridget but couldn't tell her on the phone, Bridget was looking at the young lady whilst talking to Franky, of course Bridget felt compelled to see her. Bridget started to get her cloths back on and piled the young ladies cloths, when the young lady woke up Bridget threw her cloths at her, "get out of my bed, get dressed and get out." Harsh, Bridget knew that, Bridget didn't even want to know her name, it's easier that way. Bridget walked out her room for some privacy, realising she was shaking she took the vodka was she left

Bridget was sat at the kitchen island and poured a small glass of neat vodka, she downed it, looked at her hands, the shakes have stopped. "Bit early for that isn't it?" Bridget looked up, it was the barmaid, Bridget looked at the empty glass, "never too early for a top up," Bridget said as she poured anything small glass and downed it again, the headache was now gone also. "Look, I know you're with someone, I saw the pictures on your dresser," Bridget didn't even look at her. "I just wanted to say your secret is safe with me," well that something Bridget thought. But Bridget knew she'd have to tell Franky, but when would be the right time? O, by the way since you're locked up in here I fucked a barmaid half my age. "Thanks I appreciate that," that's all Bridget could muster up, "and for what it's worth, I'm sorry if you feel I took advantage of you." The barmaid nodded and walked out the door, when the door closed behind her Bridget got in the shower, needed to get last night off her.

Whilst Bridget was showering she started to have flashbacks of last night, ordering more drinks then buying her some, then came the bad flirting, waiting for the taxi with the barmaid, getting through the front door where she pinned her up agains the wall and groped her, before leading her to the bedroom to engage in what Bridget could recall was sloppy sex. Bridget sat down in the shower and curled up in the fetal position and started to cry. I need help Bridget thought.


	5. After the visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Bridget goes to visit Franky in prison.

Bridget sat in her car with the piece of paper in her hand with the name on it. She was hungover, but Franky didn't pick up on it. It was strange for Bridget to be on the other side of Wentworth, a visitor. Bridget didn't tell Franky about the bar lady, she didn't want to make things worse than it already is for her. Franky had this thing about her that even though you're mad at her, she'll pull you back in with her charm. All the anger Bridget had for Franky left as soon as she saw her. Bridget had some digging to do, she drove out of the carpark leaving Wentworth behind. 

When Bridget got home she fed the cat and looked at the bottle of vodka that was still on the kitchen island, the temptation to drink was overwhelming, the say the first sign of a alcoholic is the powerlessness to leave drink alone. That's the first time the thought came into her head. Alcoholic. I'm not one of those Bridget thought, I'm well respected in my field, I have a home, I pay my bills on time and I certainly don't look like a tramp. Bridget knew that was total bollox, she knew that alcoholics come in all shapes and sizes, she seen them in her office lots of time. If I'm not one then why am reaching for the bottle, before she knew it Bridget had poured another neat glass of vodka, she downed it. There was a knock on the door, maybe they'll go away she thought, there was another knock. Bridget was looking through the empty glass. "Bridget, I know you're in there, your car is in the drive." Shit, it's Vera. Bridget grabbed some mints at the little table beside the door took two and composed herself, Bridget answered the door to Vera. "Hey, um just thought I'd check in with you," Vera was peering through the door. Bridget widened the door to let her in. Vera came though and was shocked with what she saw, Bridget's home was a mess, she saw the laptop, the degree and the empty bottles. "It's not what it looks like V," lie number one. "I've been busy and not been able to tidy up," lie two. "Bridge, I can smell the booze from the front door, what the hell is going on?" Vera picked up the smashed frame, "you worked hard to get this, why throw it away? Bridge you're the best psychiatrist I know." Bridget broke down crying, "I don't know V, I can't stop it's so hard." Bridget kept eyeing up the vodka on the kitchen island, Vera picked up the bottle and went to pour it down the sink, Bridget grabbed her and took the bottle from her, Vera was shocked. "See this is what it's doing to you, it's not the alcohol Bridge it's the anger, the resentments that's killing you." Bridge kept crying and wouldn't like go of the vodka, it was like her baby. Vera took something from her handbag it was a leaflet for a alcoholic support group, "look, you know all about this stuff, but I thought that this might help." Vera put the leaflet on the island, "I'm sorry Bridget, but I have to be strong on this, I cannot help you whilst you're drinking. I'm sorry." Vera walked out the door, Bridget fell to the floor and started to cry even more. She looked at her reflection in the TV screen, still having the bottle of vodka she threw it at the TV screen and Bridget curled up in a ball on the floor. I'm not a alcoholic she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always appreciated.


End file.
